Word Origin & History

transient 1607, from L. transiens (acc. transientem) "passing over or away," prp. of transire "cross over, pass away," from trans- "across" + ire "to go." The noun is first attested 1652; specific sense of "transient guest or boarder" first recorded 1880. Transience is first recorded 1745.

Example Sentences for transient

Calmness is imperative: to be as motionless as transient beings can.

They got exactly what the transient may expect in any country.

The lines of camp-fires begin to gleam from the transient Bedouin villages.

"I will not make the most of it, Mr. Eld," the old man said, with a transient smile.

The emotion of grief is real with them, I believe, but transient.

Even in the Homeric poems, we can see that these ideas are transient.

Paul hung his head in a transient shame, and murmured that he was sorry.

They are transient things, I yearn for the Immortal state, Nirvana.

Inspectors then understand that one is to be but a transient guest.

It had the transient quality of a dream in which we were but masqueraders.